Design & Crafts Council Ireland announce plans to reboot successful campaign this summer to support Ireland’s retailers, makers and designers
Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI) has confirmed plans to reboot its successful #MadeLocal campaign this summer.
It comes as the national agency published figures that reveal almost nine out of 10 retailers who took part in the campaign reported a rise in sales as a result of the nationwide promotion.
The campaign was launched last summer by Tánaiste and Enterprise Minister Leo Varadkar and actor Amy Huberman as part of DCCI’s drive to boost sales and revenue for makers and local retailers during the pandemic. It was reignited again last winter to encourage shoppers to buy quality Irish-made products in the countdown to Christmas.
The vast majority of retailers (87%) reported a positive impact on sales, which came as a welcome boost as COVID-19 restrictions significantly impacted the sector. Meanwhile, almost two thirds (64%) of makers and designers reported an increase in sales.
Figures published by DCCI confirm the campaign generated almost 10 million online impressions between last summer (3.8 million) and winter (5.7 million) and featured in a wide array of national and regional media outlets in print, broadcast and online.
A total of 170 retailers took part in the summer campaign, with a further 241 outlets joining in the countdown to the festive period.
Some 801 DCCI clients representing every design and crafts discipline, from jewellery, goldsmithing and furniture design to textiles and stone craftspeople, weavers and candlemakers, featured in the initial summer campaign. A further 977 makers and designers joined the winter campaign.
Ten industry Guilds, Associations, Networks and Societies (GANS) initially took part in the #KeepWell campaign, with a further 30 joining in winter.
Commenting on the figures, DCCI Market Development Director Brian McGee said: “Like every section of society, the design and craft sector has not been immune to the effects of this unprecedented public health emergency. Design & Crafts Council Ireland is committed to supporting our makers and designers and to bolster public confidence in the sector we launched the Made Local campaign last summer, bringing together the craft and design sector together with the common purpose of encouraging consumers to support local enterprises.”
Mr. McGee said the success of the campaign, along with the innovative steps our designers and makers have taken to overcome adversity during these difficult times, has inspired the national design and crafts agency to relaunch the nationwide promotion this summer.
Brian McGee added: “This campaign is a celebration of our wonderful designers and makers and the huge contribution they continue to make to Irish life and society and to their communities. I would also like to pay tribute to the enormous contribution that shoppers and members of the public played in helping us to champion Ireland’s creative economy and to support local businesses during these difficult times.”
Image: Actor and Writer Amy Huberman and An Tánaiste and Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment, Leo Varadkar TD launch the first phase of the Made Local campaign in July 2020
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